Thursday, September 15, 2011

Noddy Felt a Little Queer

Noddy banned? I'd heard and repeated this one so many times, but I really thought it was a myth until I came across the transcript of Andrew Denton interviewing Don Chip on Enough Rope...

ANDREW DENTON: When you were Minister for Customs and Excise, you were in charge of censorship in this country and at that time, late 60s, early 70s, you've described Australia as censorship crazy. In what way?

DON CHIPP: The list was banned. You couldn't publish it.

ANDREW DENTON: The list?

DON CHIPP: You didn't know what was banned and what wasn't. Intolerable. I published the list and the reasons why it was banned.

ANDREW DENTON: Were there some stupid bannings? Were these all sensual books, or…

DON CHIPP: 'Noddy' was banned once.

ANDREW DENTON: 'Noddy'.

DON CHIPP: Enid Blyton, because there is a place on page 84 which says "And Noddy walked down a country lane and felt a little queer."